Roads in one area in South Africa are so bad that taxis refuse to operate there

The gravel road infrastructure in Thaba Nchu has collapsed following heavy rains, which means that taxis refuse to operate and learners cannot get to school.

This was revealed by Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality Councillor Tumelo Rammile, who called on the municipal manager to act.

“Residents across Thaba Nchu Trusts, villages and townships have been left stranded,” Rammile said in a statement.

“Gravel roads have been washed away following heavy rains, while those that remain are riddled with dongas, erosion and dangerous potholes.”

He said that taxis refuse to operate, learners cannot get to school, and emergency vehicles cannot reach homes.

Public transport operators like Interstate Bus Lines said that Mangaung’s unmaintained roads are damaging buses and making it impossible to transport commuters.

Rammile said that this road infrastructure crisis is not an accident, but a result of municipal mismanagement.

“The Auditor-General has exposed that only 2% of Mangaung’s infrastructure budget is spent on maintenance, far below the required 8% norm,” he said.

He highlighted that over 60% of Mangaung’s roads are in poor condition, with a R7.5 billion rehabilitation backlog.

“Mangaung builds new projects, but refuses to maintain existing infrastructure. This is a pattern the AG has flagged as a core reason for service delivery collapse,” he said.

“Rural towns like Thaba Nchu, Botshabelo, Wepener and Dewetsdorp continue to be overlooked, with no real plans in place to address roads, water, or refuse removal.”

Rammile said that they will approach the Municipal Manager, Sello More, and Executive Mayor, Gregory Nthatisi, to demand an intervention. This includes:

• A grading and re-gravelling schedule for all gravel roads in Thaba Nchu.

• The deployment of graders to critical routes in Selosesha, Bultfontein, Rooifontein, Mokwena, Feloana and surrounding Trusts within 7 days.

• A disclosure of the rural roads maintenance budget, expenditure in Thaba Nchu for 2024/25, and fleet deployment logs.

• A proper stormwater drainage plan to prevent future washaways.

“Thaba Nchu residents have been treated as second-class citizens in their own Metro. They pay for services they do not receive,” he said.

We will conduct oversight visits to affected roads and will escalate the matter to the Free State COGTA MEC and the Provincial Legislature if Mangaung fails to act.”